


James - Ours is the Name of Kings

by aceofhearts88



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Falling In Love, Friendship, Getting Together, M/M, NASA, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 23:08:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8346394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceofhearts88/pseuds/aceofhearts88
Summary: It's new, it's exciting and wonderful. It's being friends, it's falling in love, it's being in love.It's a new chapter in their lives, a happy one.And it all started at a science fair.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kjstark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjstark/gifts).



'J is for Joy, you've brought sunshine to my life  
A is for Always, forever we'll be friends  
M is for Memories, I cherish when I’m with you  
E is for Exciting, you're so full of joy  
S is for Super, that's what I think you are'

He is eighty-two and he finds it out on the table in the garden, held down by a candle, and suddenly he's almost half his age again and it all just feels like yesterday.

How they met, how they became friends. How they became something more, and how something became forever. 

\--

James.

It's the name of kings, of saints and presidents, something to be proud of. 

There are also 5,384,876 people in the US alone who are called James. 

He could remember that there were at least five other James or Jamie in his year in high school. 

Not really a name to stick out with, you had to let actions speak for you to become more than just another number in the statistics, he did just that.

Over five million people in his country sharing his first name, who would have guessed that of all people he would find another one like him to share the rest of his life with.

\--

His definition of normal had always been different from the rest of his peers, whether it be in his childhood as an army kid moving from base to base, in his high school days as someone two years younger than their classmates after having skipped most of middle school. In his college days where he kept on surpassing expectations left and right and befriended Tony Stark. In the Air Force where he was always the top of his class and worked himself up to Colonel quicker than anyone had predicted him to be capable of.

James Rhodes knew how to be different, how to take it and turn it into advantages, how to play with it and make it something he could control. He might have never been normal, but he also had never wanted to be normal. He hadn't wanted to fall in line, to stay just a player in the shadows, he had never wanted to just be one person in a crowd. He had always wanted and still wanted to bring good into the world, to help those who couldn't help themselves, to keep watch over those who were innocent, to protect and to fight for what was good.

And he wanted to fly.

All he had wanted as a kid was to be able to fly, to see the sky above and the world below. To be free like a bird.

\--

Planes had fascinated him since before he could even walk. Every holiday, every trip, flying had been the greatest experiences of his childhood that he could still remember. To feel deep in your bones how such a heavy machine could lift off the ground and then float in air like it weighed nothing. How freeing it was so see the world below you become so small.

How big you felt when everything seemed so far away.

He collected tiny plane models, liked to draw planes and birds, always flying. Always higher and higher.

He wanted to be a pilot. He told his parents as much the first time they took a plane to visit his grandparents in New Orleans. James Rhodes was going to be a pilot.

He had been five years old, wearing that itching sweater his grandma had made for him last christmas, red bird on navy blue, had held onto his Mama's hand as they walked towards the exit doors of the plane. He had looked with big eyes at the Captain standing in front of the cockpit doors, saying goodbye to his passengers alongside the stewardess who had brought him his juice earlier, and he had tugged on his Momma's hand and had said "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a pilot."

The Captain had overheard and had crouched down when James and his Momma had reached them, he had ruffled James's hair. He had taken off his captain hat and had placed it on James's own little head, it had been way too big and immediately fallen down over his eyes. James had gaped while this man with his white hair and white beard had chuckled and tipped his hat up again.

"You'll be a great one, little champ." He had laughed and then offered his hand, James had shook it as firm as he could, and then he had giggled and quickly reached up to give the hat back, but the Captain had shook his head and placed it right back on his head, "No, you take that one, champ. I've got more."

He had thanked the man and then his mother had swung him up on her hip when they had stepped on the stairs leading them out of the plane. James had still been waving at the Captain when he probably couldn't even have been seen anymore, his other hand clutching at the hat.

In the waiting area, he had quickly wriggled out of his mother's arms when he spotted his grandparents waiting for them, and he had raced over to his Pops, had squealed when he had been swung up into still strong arms and had then declared for all the world to hear, "I'M GONNA BE A PILOT POPPA!"

\--

Flying became his life.

James became Rhodey, became Jim. James became a pilot.

Just not exactly like his five year old self had imagined it.

It wasn't a Boeing 707 or an Airbus under his control, but a fighter jet, but Rhodey couldn't have been prouder of the path he had chosen. And then he stepped into a world of craziness and found a place in a team of superheroes, and he couldn't have been prouder of his life.

Flying became more than a job and a duty in a jet.

Flying became personal. War Machine was born and he was soaring through the air without a plane to carry him.

\--

Falling changed his life, just like flying had once upon a time. There was one difference though, flying had changed him, had changed something right in his core, brought him onto a path of being proud of himself and his decisions.

Rhodey didn't have a lot of regrets. And none of those he did have were of any great importance. He had always thought first and acted second, a concept his best friend hadn't understood to this day and would probably not understand to his dying days. Every decision he had made had been chosen like that because he had believed in something.

He had chosen to fight, no one had forced him, no one had influenced his decision to be there on that day the Avengers fought each other on the airport tarmac in Germany. He didn't want to think anymore on why the fall happened, how it could possibly get there, it just did.

Falling, crashing, getting hurt, it changed his life, but Rhodey didn't let it change who he really was on the inside. He worked hard in the following months, found strength in the good days, found even more strength and courage in the bad ones.

Recovering and physio, those were two hard pills to swallow, he had been injured before, so many times that he had gone out and put his life on the line for the call of duty, but it had never looked as dire as this. Rhodey had spent time in the hospital, as a patient and the one worrying behind the glass, but in recent years it had always been someone else lying in that crisp white bed, most notably his best friend on what felt like every second week. He had grown used to it, had forced himself to grow used to the worry, to the panic in his bones upon receiving another phone call.

Now it was him.

New experience and it sucked. Bad.

He hated the helplessness, hated every minute spent in that hospital bed, he hated the surgeries, hated the examinations. He hated that everyone kept on expecting him to take it in patience and calm, when that really was the last thing on his mind. He hadn't been forced to take it easy since he had broken his arm in middle school, it was driving him crazy now, to wait, to be patient, to take it easy.

And it frustrated him. But where many people stopped hoping and believing, he kept on working, kept on pushing himself beyond the limits of what his therapists adviced him to do. Tony tried to reign him in in the beginning, but soon enough realized that Rhodey needed just that, a goal, a mission to keep his head from slipping down a dangerous path. 

And with lots of effort and energy it worked.

He would never walk again without the braces on his leg, but with them he did, back on his feet two months earlier than his doctors had expected. He had worked hard, in the gym and outside of it. Tony and him had spent night after night working on the braces, a distraction from what had happened as much as it had been a goal for the future, looking ahead to keep themselves from looking back. Their lives had always worked like that.

Stubborn to the last brain cell. Rhodey's Mom had always said it was his second best and absolute worst trait.

Rhodey walked again. And then threw everything he had in time and energy into upgrading the suit to reach his second goal.

He would fly again.

\--

"PULL UP CAP!"

Rhodey didn't dare breathe until Sam had successfully evaded the drone that had suddenly come barrelling his way, only then did he push on and steered the suit over to him, repulsors blasting the drone into nothingness.

"Thanks, Jim." Sam thanked him over comms and they shared a nod before diving low again into the ongoing battle. AIM. One of these days Rhodey was going to question why they couldn't just finally cut off all money paths for these idiots. It was getting old really fast.

"Wanda, how is evacuation going?" He asked into the open comm line, flying some more distracting manenuvers to get the out of control drones away from the civilians.   
"Almost complete." Wanda quickly answered and when he looked back to the fair, he could see her standing on top of one of the booths, Vision keeping her secure with well aimed lasers towards the attacking drones while she shielded the fleeing crowd.

"Carter, have you found anything?" Rhodey continued down his mental list and swooped towards the now abandoned office building, one more unknown AIM base, he was going to have to talk to Tony about this. It really couldn't happen anymore.  
"Still digging deeper." Sharon called in and Rhodey scanned the building, found her and Peter in the server room, three levels below street level. 

"Twenty more minutes, then regrouping by the ferris wheel." He gave the command and got two quick agreeing voices in his ear, "Alright, Sammy-boy. You up for some good old robot bashing?" He called out and grinned, Commander thoughts slipping away for now, even a leader could have fun. Sam snorted and appeared from behind the ferris wheel.  
"Oh, it's on, Rhodes." He agreed to the unspoken challenge and Rhodey laughed when the red, white and blue shield swooshed past him, Redwing hot on its heels and Sam with his wings pulled close dropping after them at a more controlled pace.

"Friday?" He took his words off comm for a moment, "Be a dear and don't let us lose against Captain America." He asked and turned the suit downwards.  
"Of course not, Colonel." Friday answered and Rhodey began to grin when the weapon's system got really fired up.

"Gimme a light show."

\--

Twenty minutes later on the dot he set feet down on the concrete in front of the Ferris Wheel on Coney Island, let the gauntlet on his right hand pull up and high-fived Sam who had landed only a brief moment after him.

"Better next time, huh?" Rhodey smirked at him and held up three fingers, and Sam rolled his eyes, but still caught his hand in a handshake.  
"Better watch your back, Jim, I'll get you one of these days." Sam answered him and nuzzled Redwing when the bot stopped by his shoulder, shield safely held in his other hand. Rhodey grinned and nodded, turning left when Peter landed on his other side, setting Sharon down to her feet as well again.

Sharon held up a set of microships, wriggled the fingers holding them while she smiled at Rhodey, "Trailed their money. Maybe we can finally close them down for good." She said, behind Peter and her, Vision and Wanda gently floated down from the sky. Rhodey grinned in satisfaction and took the microships from her, sliding them into a panel of the suit that Friday opened for him.  
"Good job everyone. Pete, if you hurry you can catch your afternoon classes still." Rhodey went into post mission mode easily and Peter scowled at him.

"Seriously, we're standing right in Coney Island and you want me to go back to college?" Peter complained and Rhodey stared at him, non verbal reminder of the terms of his Avenger status in his eyes. Peter groaned once more and then shuffled his feet before sighing. "Yes, I know."  
"You did a good job today, kid, go and do an even better one in your Physics class." Rhodey told him gently and slapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Yes, Sir!" Peter had to smirk under the suit and then he was off, only to reappear hanging upside down from the closest streetlamp a second later, head turned towards Sharon, "Do you need a lift?" Rhodey glanced over at Sam to see him hiding a grin as well, while Sharon smiled and reached up to pat Peter's suit covered face gently.  
"No but it's nice to ask of you. I'll go with Sam." She answered him and then Peter was gone, Sam cooed and Sharon kicked him, Rhodey chose to turn to Wanda and Vision, but whatever he wanted to say got cut short when Wanda started speaking first.

"Can we handle clean up?" She wanted to know, surprising Rhodey a little, "Beautiful day. Friends told me so much about Coney Island, wanna see it quickly come back to life once we're done here."   
"Be my guest." Rhodey offered her, "Means I can get back to packing earlier. Report in to Tony when you're done and then have a nice day." Wanda smiled and walked over to kiss his cheek before taking off with Vision again.

"Good, means you won't miss us either." Sam spoke up when the three of them were alone and Rhodey raised an eyebrow at him, "Man, don't make me fly back to base for a report and then out to Brooklyn again. I'm like five minutes from my place, Jim. I'll email my report to Stark tomorrow, I swear." Rhodey waved him off with an eye roll, truth be told it made him happy because if no one was around he could dictate his post mission report to Friday in the bathtub.

"And you?" He wanted to know from Sharon who pointed north and already wrapped an arm around Sam's waist.  
"I have a yoga date in Queens. After which I will stuff my face with cookies and watch stupid romcoms while giving my friend a running commentary over his ridiculous packing skills." Sam and her exchanged a grin and a snort and as so often Rhodey decided to not get involved.

"Get out of my hair then!"

"See you Tuesday, Boss!" Sam and Sharon smirked at him and then Sam handed the shield to her and took off, Redwing bumped his little beak against Rhodey, prompting him to pet his head for a moment before the little guy chased after Cap and Agent 13. 

\--

"See, this is what post mission handling is supposed to look like forever." Rhodey mused, closing his eyes when the warmth of the water seeped into every last inch of his body, soothing the muscle aches and the soreness that came with shooting robots for half a day. Around him the candles flickered with his breath for a second before settling the bathroom of his suite back into peaceful harmony, shadows on the soft blue walls.

"I doubt it will achieve the same mood if the entire team comes together, boss." Friday deadpanned quietly and Rhodey snorted, bringing the glass of wine to his lips again for a sip before settling it back on the little table placed right next to the tub. He loved baths, oh how he loved baths. How beautiful it was to let yourself go in hot water in the privacy of your own bathroom. To feel every muscle relax and your mind just float away, no stress, no thoughts about meetings, speeches, reports or training shedules for an hour.

Just him and him alone.

"Do you want me to activate privacy protocols, boss?" Friday asked him and Rhodey popped open one eye, he must have muttered the last thought out loud.  
"Yeah." He agreed, "Yeah, do that. For an hour, no disturbances. It's me time now." He explained and slipped a little further down into the water in the tub.  
"Will do, boss. Have fun." Friday clicked herself off and Rhodey let out a deep breath, eyes falling shut again as he let his mind drift off into a world where there was only flying but no fighting.

A world where there was someone to share this tub with. He wasn't actively chasing after a relationship, even less so after something casual, his life had been full of being an Avenger and working hard on righting the destroyed reputation of their names. And every hour not spent in diplomacy, battling bad guys and overwatching the recruitment of new agents and enhanced teams, Rhodey had spent focused on his own health. Physical and mental. 

But it didn't mean he didn't sometimes long to have someone close, someone who was more than a best friend, a hand to hold, someone who would be there at night to fall into bed with. Someone to greet after the fighting was done. Someone to kiss, someone to touch. Someone to be touched by. 

He let himself drift off into the world of fantasies, let day dreams take over. Rhodey leaned his head further back into the bathtub pillow, closed his eyes and his hands began to touch and stroke. And with the music and the silence beyond it, it was so easy to imagine the warmth of another body, the touch of someone else's hands on his body.

Fingers moved over his chest under the water, so gentle, their touch featherlight but still there, ghosting over his collarbones down over his chest. A thumb flicking over a nipple. He hissed, bit his lip and pushed up into the touch. Another hand slipped down over his stomach, stroked over his abs, and Rhodey licked his lips. Both hands moved further down his body, past where desire was growing more and more, over his thighs down to his knees, only to move back up again. Stroking over the insides of his legs, showing more strength.

No more feathers in bright sunlight. Fingers digging into skin, nails gently scratching along the sensitive areas of his thighs. And then lighter again, a hand cupping his balls while the other moved further up again, nails over his chest, fingers touching his neck. And he could feel the ghost touch of lips against that oh so sweet spot behind his ear. The nameless voice whispering his name in his ear, "So beautiful" it would whisper, "So breathtakingly hot". 

Lips kissing along his neck, a finger following the curves of his lips, Rhodey gasped, mouth falling open further as the other hand slowly wrapped around his cock, stroking, no more patient gentleness. Just like he wanted it, the sweet edge between gentle and rough, the difference, the surprise of never knowing what came next.

His hips thrust up into the grip on his cock, gasps and moans falling from his lips, teeth raking over his bottom lip, the thought of a warm chest at his back, of legs bracking him in, holding him together while he fell apart. Hard and quick strokes, a flick of a finger, a hand raking nails down his chest and then fluttering so gently over his stomach.

Closer and closer he got to the edge of sweet blissful ecstacy.

Harder and faster.

Gentler and slower.

His toes curled and his back arched out of the water as Rhodey came with a loud gasp, body falling limp back into the still warm water, fulfilled, floating.

Flying.

\--

Privacy as a superhero was a very foreign concept, something that you had to treasure above everything else because it didn't happen a lot and it sure as hell didn't happen regularly. Villains didn't have a shedule, being an Avenger wasn't a day job where you spent your usual eight hours a day and then skipped home to Netflix and Chill or spent time with your family. It meant duty at all times of the day, it meant anything could happen at any point of the month.

It didn't mean 30 mandatory vacation days a year. It meant a night spent in your own bed on a weekend was pure paradise sometimes. Someone was always causing trouble, and with the Avengers still so early in their international recruitment program to built up a broad network of respected first response teams, their lives were still filled with international trips to fight the evil and condemn the bad.

Every quiet moment you could get in this life, you took, you took and cherished and lived out to the fullest, Rhodey had already learned it by watching Tony losing himself in Iron Man's identity. In the army, it had already been difficult but still manageable to balance duty with free time, to take a step back when it got to be too much, to think of himself as well as his country. Rhodey had never worked until he had broken, there had always been someone nudging him to take a weekend at home, to fly up and see his family and his distracting best friend, to take a bag and drive out with army pals.

He had had a life outside of Colonel Rhodes' busy shedule, but when War Machine became his sole career, things changed, and once he was co-leader of the Avengers, he could be happy if he had a free weekend every two months. The world was still learning to trust them again, three years after they had publicly ruined every last ounce of it, kicked every chance at respect with feet, fists, repulsors and a shield.

The Avengers weren't what they had once been, and they would never return to that status, the world and they themselves would make sure of it. Trust was slowly coming back, people saw the changes and learned just as they did. Out of the original six, only one remained, and even Iron Man had stepped down from active duty, Tony only came out to fight when they needed every last manpower at their disposal.

Banner was still gone, as was Thor. Romanov had left, Barton had retired for good, had finally put his family above anything else. And Rogers had become a civilian. Rhodey had no doubt that if the world ever came close to apocalypse like scenarios again, they would be able to count on any of them to return and fight for the world they had once saved, but for now the Avengers had changed.

Tony and him had taken leadership and command into their hands, with Tony using his power and his experience and his name to deal with the political and diplomatic side behind the scenes, and finally being allowed to really get into being an engineer again, the governments had slowly began to believe in them once more. And with Rhodey's active on sight command during battles, the public had gotten a new face to trust, familiar but still new.

War Machine had become more than just back-up, he had become the leader of the team, the one to give commands, the one the officials looked to during crisis. And he certainly was only too happy to let Tony deal with the really unattractive meeting and paperwork side of avenging. He was out in the world, fighting and protecting.

Flying.

Alongside Vision and Wanda, who became more open about their abilities and like that gained the people's trust, lessened their fears in them. Carter took the place that Natasha had left empty so abruptly, gave them the added support of a well known and respected name and the contact in the CIA and FBI that helped in giving Tony and Rhodey acting room. Lang and soon after van Dyne took over a small team of enhanced junior superheroes on the west coast, giving Rhodey more time to breathe and less spontaneous trips over the country because the young heroes took on too much again.

Peter graduated high school and his insistent nagging was finally given an ear, when Tony and Rhodey let him join the team on an official basis. So he no longer had to drop in accidentily on a battle. He moved onto the base just like Sharon did, which in turn did turn the Avenger's quarters into half a frathouse for a while.

It worked great. They became a good team, but something kept on missing.

Until Sam returned a year ago and brought Captain America back to life in a whole new light. A Captain that was trusted again by the public and their country, loved for his charme and his friendliness, admired for the joy he brought into saving the day. He remained living in Brooklyn, to be with his family, it gave Cap a new domestic side, people loved it. But, and Rhodey would never get tired of pointing that out for himself and everyone close enough to hear, Cap was only second favourite Avenger in the recent polls.

War Machine still took the top, and Rhodey would be as smug about that as he wanted to.

Even when it came at the cost of more privacy and free time.

He loved it too much.

\--

"Colonel Rhodes!" 

Sighing and then taking a deep breath, Rhodey handed his bag to the staff member to be placed onto the private jet and turned around to smile at his secretary and his personal assistant coming his way with their tablets and bright happy grins. Translations: he did not in fact escape the bloody paperwork. 

"How perfect that we still caught you, Sir."

Yes. How freaking perfect.

"I just need some signatures." Agent Davis told him and Rhodey groaned, prompting Viola to grin but hand over the tablet and the pen. He worked himself quickly through the post mission forms before reaching for the tablet Agent Davis held out for him, flipping through the list of things he had written down to be done while he took three days down in Florida.

Alone.

Free time.

Privacy.

For the first time in seven months he would spend three days by himself, doing things that he liked and loved. Visiting friends who had nothing to do with superheroes. 

"Remind Wilson to have that speech ready by Monday, I want it on my desk first thing Tuesday morning, and no he does not get another deadline boost. We're flying to DC on Thursday, and I want to read that speech beforehand." He reminded Agent Davis on the importance again of point three on the list. Sam had been edging away from writing the damn speech Cap needed to make for weeks already.

"And Parker has an exam on Wednesday and an essay due on Tueday, so if any small incidents pop up this weekend, he remains behind and works on his studies." He went on, walking closer to the stairs leading up into the safety of the private jet with each step, "Stark has it on his radar but I want someone else enforcing it as well. Your job, Davis." Rhodey reminded him and set one foot onto the jet stairs before turning to his secretary.

"I don't want to hear anything about any calls until Tuesday morning. No emails. No text messages. No calls, no nothing unless the world is literally about to end. Wanda and Vision are on base and your first response team. Wilson and Carter are in Brooklyn for the weekend, Wilson can have them back on base in twenty minutes, he takes over control if something comes up. Carter has a meeting with Colonel Danvers on Monday morning, I want a meeting room prepared for that interview. And if Parker's classmate pitches trouble again, let Stark deal with it." He brought it to the point and Viola nodded.

"You got it, boss." She said and smiled, taking the tablet back from him again, "Have a nice trip, Sir." Viola wished him and then kicked Agent Davis in the shins when he made to speak up again, Rhodey nodded to her and then walked up into the jet.  
"Please close the door before they find more forms for me to sign." He pleaded with the stewardess who laughed and reached out to close the jet door not a second after he had stepped inside.

He sank into a seat and buckled himself in. Florida, three days, old friends, sun and peace and paradise. And science just for the fun of it, no work, no superhero business.

\--

Space.

Rhodey loved space. Space and the science that came with it, the great unknown, untouched places, so much still to experience, so much still to learn. Where Tony nowadays twitched away from anything that had only slightly to do with outer space, Rhodey welcomed it. 

Space. Space travel. Rockets. NASA. 

Wasn't that the ultimate way of flying?

Zero gravity. Vaste openness. Untouched planets. 

Rhodey missed talking about the progress in space shuttle science, about the progress in one day sending a shuttle to Mars, but he could understand why the one person he had to really geek out with could not talk about it anymore. 

A science fair at NASA was exactly what came in handy then. He had three free days and would nerd out to his fullest desire. No AIM, no Hammer, no bots, no mutated plants, no killer rabbits, no dinosaurs.

Just him and space science.

"JIMMY!"

And old friends.

Turning left along the long corridor in the great hall of the visitors center in Kennedy Space Center, Rhodey turned towards the engineering booth. Wearing a NASA shirt, his old Air Force buddy Derek grinned at him, stepping away from the man in the dark blue hoodie looking over the rocket engine display to pull Rhodey into a hug that quickly let Rhodey get aware that he had been fighting a battle just yesterday.

"Derek, man, it's good to see you again." Rhodey laughed and Derek grinned at him when he pulled back, giving him one last heavy pat to his back. They had met at MIT, Rhodey had liked to call him his 'grown-up friend', the one you could actually legally go onto parties with at some point. And then they had joined the Air Force together, run through training together, did some tours together, until Derek had hurt his knee to bad and had needed to step out.

He went to NASA, became a scientist and then an instructor, now he was a big part of developing the Mars mission and Rhodey hadn't seen him in ages. Too busy, the both of them.

"Likewise." Derek said, "John told me you were coming down, but boy, I didn't want to believe it until I actually saw it. You look good, leading that team of yours suits you." Derek added with a smirk and Rhodey rolled his eyes, "Still not gone to space though."  
"You haven't either." Rhodey argued and Derek laughed, taking some steps back into his booth again.

"You got me there, buddy, you got me there. But I'm definitely closer to flying up there than you." Derek shot back and patted the rocket engine that he had helped develop so many years ago.  
"Well, I am definitely closer to fighting aliens than you are, so let's call it even, huh?" Rhodey said and chose to focuse on the engine instead, it had been way too long since science had been fun and not just necessary means for the job.

It had always calmed his mind.

Math, physics, engineering. No matter how big the stress in college or later in the air force had been, the sight, the smell of a lab, the grease of a workshop, it had always managed to break through the loud voices in his mind, settled them and brought him clarity. 

"I don't think I'm gonna fight you on that one." Derek agreed with him and stroked his old engine with a fond hand, "So, what do you say?" And Rhodey lost himself in technical details, shared opinions with Derek and told him it was crap just to get him even deeper into the science behind it. It relaxed him more than any spa weekend could have, he didn't need to lie down and do nothing but sleep for three days to get his energy loaded back up.

What he needed was right there, science, fun and friends.

And apparently a new friend as well.

"Now, pal." Derek suddenly turned back to the man he had previously been talking to, "I can't give you an astronaut, but I can give you a real life superhero." Derek said with a smirk bright enough to light up the whole center, Rhodey knew that look, back in the day it had always promised trouble. The as of yet still unknown man slowly turned around and just as Derek got back to talking, Rhodey and him came face to face.

Oi.

Well, that came unexpected.

Sky blue eyes lightened up, actually freaking lightened up in total surprise and rosy lips pulled apart in what almost had to be a gape. Rhodey felt flabbergasted. The hair was shorter slightly, definitely more taken care of, the dark blue hoodie was from NASA, as was the backpack slung casually over one shoulder. 

And Derek was still talking.

"...been asking me questions, you won't believe it. I haven't had someone this interested in years, not even my own bloody students show this much compassion half the time." Derek finished with a big grin and Rhodey smiled back at him, holding out a hand.  
"Sergeant Barnes." He offered calmly and Derek made a double take at him, whole body twitching like that one time Rhodey had put glue into his flight suit, Barnes though smiled right back at him, shaking his hand with a good grasp.

"Colonel Rhodes." Barnes greeted him as well, loose and relaxed, and Rhodey could feel his surprise slowly settle down. He had never in a million years expected to come across the other man in such a place as the NASA visitor's center in Kennedy Space Center. He hadn't seen Barnes in the flesh since the airport fight, only heard about him, lived in Queens since his head got fixed, normal life as a civilian. Sharon and Sam had enough stories to tell about their friend from Queens without ever speaking Barnes' name out loud, everything pointed to him living a calm and peaceful life now.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Derek reminded him that they weren't alone and Rhodey had to blink twice before his old friend's face got back into focus as well.  
"Where have you been the last six years, Derek?" Rhodey asked, letting go of Barnes' hand, raising an eyebrow at Derek who blinked back at him.

"Working really hard on sending people to Mars.....wait, did you just say Barnes?" 

Well, Derek had always been a little slower on the update.

\--

A few minutes later, after promising Derek at least five times that he was not going to disappear again for the next three years without at least having a beer with him tomorrow, Rhodey found himself wandering over the fair with Barnes. 

"What brings you down here from New York, Barnes?" He asked when they stopped at the booth that took notice of great historical moments in space travelling. Barnes chuckled, looked over to him.  
"Research for a college paper, well that would be the smart sounding answer to be honest." He began and then blushed and looked back at the displays for a moment, but blue eyes quickly found its way back to looking at Rhodey, small smile playing on Barnes' lips, "The real answer is that I'm a nerd who enjoys this a thousand times more than going to the movies or watching Bake Off all weekend long."

"Oh my god, Barnes." Rhodey laughed and brought a hand up to his rips, "Sam is still obsessed with that?" Barnes nodded, grinning, too  
"Yeah, they both are. When my professor told me about the science convention, I got my ticket booked in the very next second, there is only so much British TV I can swallow in one month." Barnes explained, "And it's Bucky by the way. It's enough that my professors call me Mister Barnes."

"Makes you feel old?" Rhodey quipped and then laughed when Bucky rolled his eyes, his head going for a short spin and then choosing, "Then it's Jim. The only people nowadays who call me Colonel are not people I'm walking across a science fair with."  
"Very well. Wanna move on?" And they did, moved along the booths, talked about what they saw and about what they had read about.

Bucky surprised him with the questions he had ready for the NASA scientists, that went beyond some nerd level interest, the guy was really curious and really invested. Rhodey enjoyed the discussions, enjoyed the talking as they went from one topic to the next topic, enjoyed the looks on NASA staff's faces when a clear civilian clad in a NASA hoodie and scruffy hair threw out questions many master students would have trouble coming up with.

"Just what are you studying?" Rhodey asked as they walked away from another booth, Bucky chuckled and took a sip from the water bottle he had pulled from his backpack earlier.  
"Some courses at community college, physics, astrophysics and engineering. Never had the opportunity to learn before, using every chance I can get now." He explained and Rhodey was drawn in, "You studied at MIT, right? How was that like?"

Second best time of his life.

"You really wanna know? Could take a while." Rhodey warned but Bucky lit up like a chandelier, nodding with a bright smile.  
"Yeah, I want to know everything." He offered and Rhodey laughed, but began to talk.

\--

And before he really knew what was happening, they had been talking and walking for hours.

\--

They ended the day with dinner at the small restaurant right outside Rhodey's hotel and even outside the fair, as they waited for their food to be served, talking was so easy. They seemed to talk about everything, even after their plates were served, about their lives at the moment, about Rhodey's time at college.

Bucky wanted to know if any of the stories Sam and Sharon pulled out in dramatic reenacments were even slightly correct. Rhodey laughed and in turn asked him if those two were as annoying together as they could be on the mission. They talked about the at times frustratingly annoying best friend they both had to fret over, and it wasn't nearly half as awkward as it could have been.

Despite everything that happened. Despite Berlin. Despite Leipzig. Despite Siberia. 

Barnes laughed and grinned almost through every second and Rhodey felt himself getting just a little lost in those blue eyes. He couldn't help but compare him to the downcast man with the edged in scowl he had if only briefly hunted and met all these years ago, that man who had been scared and terrified, who hadn't known anything else but running anymore.

Bucky had changed, and so had Rhodey. 

Now there was joy in him, so much joy and fun at science. 

They talked some more about his community college classes, but as he noted Bucky was quite good in turning the attention away from himself and towards Rhodey. Asked about his college experience, about what he was working on at the moment. And before the evening was over and Bucky took the bus to the train station to get back to New York, they exchanged numbers and the promise to keep in contact.

\--

A few days later, Rhodey had claimed the biggest couch in the common room as he watched Peter and his niece Lila make good use of Tony's non existent backbone when it came to teenage puppy eyes. He didn't even want to know what those two nutjobs were planning again already, he loved his niece but she was also a hurricane and Peter wasn't even better and since getting to know each other in high school, it was a wild ride. 

For everyone.

It was no miracle that his sister was actually relieved when Lila spent time on base, as crazy as it might sound, at least here she could blow stuff up and not take out half the block's electricity. 

So there he was, enjoying the show and relishing the fact that he could lean back and close his eyes because Tony had said he was gonna take over the "kids" today, give him a free day after they had gone out on a short notice trip to the west coast yesterday because the Young Avengers had been overwhelmed by an Atlantian attack. Sam and him had spent the majority of those two hours drenched from head to toes while trying to get Namor to see sense.

When his phone buzzed, he was almost tempted to not reach for it, it was his private one but he really wasn't in the mood to get involved in an argument between his mother and his sister over christmas dinner responsibilities. That was months in the future and they were driving him insane already. On the thought that it really could be something else that was really important, he pulled it out anyway, and then grinned when he saw the name flashing up on the display of his Stark phone.

'Got this from the prof yesterday for my term paper research, thought it might interest you as well.' - Bucky

Attached to the message was a astrophysics article and even while skipping through it quickly, Rhodey could already see that it really was something his brain would blow up in joy over later. Smiling to himself, he glanced over to where Lila's voice had just risen up in volume again, Peter rubbing his hands next to her and Tony looking like he was starting to regret getting out of bed this morning.

'Thanks, this is great. How is research going?'

'Good, got everything ready to start writing, just don't wanna. Everything is way more interesting right now.'

'Got the same going on whenever I have to write a mission report.'

And then while he was still waiting on a reply, he froze for just a short moment as a sudden idea jumped at him, and he quickly began typing again.

'Are you free on Saturday?'

'Nothing planned yet except not writing, why?'

'Wanna come over? Hang out with this boring guy in his workshop?'

It took a moment until Bucky answered again, the three dots that signaled him typing seemed to go on forever, but Rhodey didn't regret his question. 

'Are you sure that's okay?'

He couldn't be sure how the question was meant but instinct drew Rhodey's eyes up to Tony arguing with Peter and Lila in the kitchen, both 18 year olds sitting at the kitchen counter and listening with wide eyes and glowing grins. He cursed himself for that thought, that it had immediately went to Tony, when Bucky could have easily meant general regulations, the guy had been military once, he knew civilians were not usually welcome on bases.

'I'm sure. My workshop, my rules. Come on, could be fun.'

'With you, definitely. You got a preferred time?'

'Nine thirty?'

'Got yourself a deal, see you, Jim.'

And that was how it all began.

\--

"Why are you here?" 

"I live here, and good morning to you to, Rhodey." Tony looked up from his tablet and calmly greeted him with a smile where he was sitting at the kitchen counter at half past nine in the morning. Rhodey planted himself across from him and stuck both hands onto his hips, there was a sound stuck in his chest that he wouldn't let out as he patiently stared his best friend down.

"What?" Tony wanted to know, setting his tablet down, "Can't a guy drink his coffee and check over the news before starting to work? I have a meeting later."  
"You don't have a meeting today, Tones, I know your shedule." Rhodey growled out and made a show of slowly leaning forward, "What are you doing up, Tony?"

"I'm drinking coffee." Tony emphasized and Rhodey wondered if locking him in his own lab was too childish of a reaction, Tony always made him feel so young at heart.  
"You never drink coffee here." Rhodey sniped back and Tony raised an eyebrow, silent challenge to elaborate, "You're never up before ten on your off day. I can be lucky if I see you at all outside your lab the day after you come back from DC meetings. You're here because Bucky is coming over." Rhodey put the accusation on the table.

"Wow, just in time for the show." Sharon announced behind him and then leaned up to kiss his cheek once before rounding the table and sitting down next to Tony, giving him a kiss to the cheek as well, "Good Morning, boys." Tony returned the greeting and then looked back at Rhodey, still so relaxed, maybe a little sleepy, but so calm and it was driving Rhodey crazy.

Okay. Maybe those nerves weren't as calm as we expected, Jimmy.

"Can't I greet an old arch nemesis who now wants to hang out with my best honey bear?" Tony wanted to know and aha, there was that strange noise that had been lodged in his throat, finally breaking free.  
"He is my friend, Tony. I would appreciate it if you will not make it awkward. Any of you." Rhodey added as an afterthought and glanced over to Sharon, who just grinned back at him.

"How could it possibly become awkward?" Tony asked with a smirk and then quickly hid it behind his coffee mug when Rhodey narrowed his eyes at him.  
"Have you heard what comes out when you open your mouth?" He quipped and Tony chuckled, setting the tablet down on the newspaper.  
"You're snarky today, I like it. Relax, Rhodey, I'm not gonna hang around and watch you two talk about space and your favourite rockets." Tony grinned over at him, Sharon snorted into her coffee, "I got some things to do, so what if I stood up a little earlier to get one look at him before you lock yourselves down in your lab. I'll be good, honey bear." He promised in the end.

Rhodey huffed and got himself a coffee first before responding to that, he wasn't exactly nervous that something would go wrong. They were all grown up adults in the end and they could all step over what had happened in the past.

With Barnes.

There was that other guy that Rhodey wasn't going to welcome to base anytime soon. Talk to him was one thing, he already did that with not the greatest pleasure, but letting him step back into this place was never going to be an option again.

"Do you promise to stay back? To keep out of our way and to not check up on us like some creepy babysitter? To get yourself something to do and to not say something awkward if we do come up into the common room?" He pressed once he had drunk half a cup of coffee, Tony rolled his eyes but nodded.  
"I promise to do all that. I'll behave, Rhodey, relax." Tony told him and Rhodey could see that it was sincere, that knot in his chest slowly started to uncurl.

"Are you sure you're just friends, because this feels a lot like bringing home your boyfriend for the first time and not wanting Mum and Dad to make it weird." Sharon snickered and Rhodey flipped her the bird.  
"Colonel Rhodes?" Friday stopped any kind of comeback Rhodey could have used against that, "Mister Barnes has arrived at the parking lot, you wished me to inform you so you could meet him at the entrance." She announced and Tony and Sharon both awwed. 

"Behave!" He told them one last time and then set his mug into the sink and walked out of the common room again, down the corridor to the elevator. He was not nervous, he was only meeting a friend to hang out, there was absolutely no reason to be nervous about anything. 

The ride down to the main foyer was definitely way too short, way too quick, the elevator must have been messed with again and he really needed to talk to Tony about overpowering the base's electronics again. 

You know, at a different time, when he wasn't going to hang out with his new friend.

Who was looking way too good in that soft blue hoodie, his brain decided as he rounded the corner and found Bucky standing at the reception where Viola had basically flung herself over her colleagues to help him.

"Bucky!" He called out once he was sure to be close enough to not sound like an idiot screaming through the entire foyer hall, still a lot of people turned around and stared and Bucky blushed. Adorable. Blue eyes were on him immediately and Bucky smiled, while face glowing with one bright happy smile upon seeing him, and Rhodey did not miss at all how those eyes quickly looked him up and down.

He didn't miss it, but he didn't dwell on it either. 

\--

Sometimes you start dating someone and you don't even realize it.

\--

Hanging out in his workshop or down in the garage quickly became a habit, working together on something, or just talking while Bucky fretted over his end of term paper and Rhodey cursed over the engineering behind new upgrades for the War Machine suit. Or they leaned back on the heavenly comfortable couch that Rhodey had in the back of his workshop, shared a pizza while watching a movie.

Nerdy ones, they liked those the most.

Another common trait.

They talked about work, about college and on what they were working or researching on, always switched it off, and always it remained comfortably and so easy. Never awkward, never strained, almost in motion, thoughts came easy. Rhodey found himself enjoying every single minute spend in Bucky's presence, talking with him, laughing with him, watching him laugh, getting watched in return. It was astonishing and wonderful how a friendship could develop so quickly.

Soon, they brought it to the level and began to meet up outside of the base, starting with Rhodey taking a drive down to Queens to visit Bucky in his small house. He met kitten Neil and bunny Buzz, laughed himself silly for at least half an hour while Bucky blushed once the penny over their names had dropped. Nerdy, goofy, so sweet. They sat on the patio and drank coffee, and then later beer and shared another pizza, Bucky told him about his neighbours and Rhodey felt really at peace.

It was simple, but perfect.

They met up for coffee in their three preferred coffee shops, the one in the small town near the Avengers base – Rhodey's favourite, the one onw block down from Bucky's home – Bucky's favourite, and the one right next to Bucky's college in Manhattan – both their second favourite. Rhodey was astonished by how quickly they could read each other's moods and then be able to order the passing variety of coffee without even asking.

They were getting close.

They shared NASA articles and physics journals, send texts with questions and theories to each other in the middle of the night and no one found it weird – at least no one between the two of them. Rhodey ignored the looks Tony send his way, always with that one little knowing smile, he ignored Sam's and Sharon's snickers, he was too happy.

They lingered when they crossed paths by chance in New York during busy days, when Rhodey was talking to politicians and UN officials as basically active leader of the Avengers and Bucky was running between classes and the library. Just a few words, just a shoulder pat, but every time they both looked less stressed and continued on their ways with less pressure on their shoulders.

When they had time for real outings, it often drew them into upstate New York, hiking through water fall canyons and caves hidden deep inside green forests. Talking about god and the world, about what had happened during their weeks, just talking about what they were thinking about while they walked so close to each other that their shoulders kept touching. Or they went down to Central Park or any of the other big parks New York City had to offer when Bucky was on babysitting duty for the most adorable and most cheeky toddler on the planet.

Sam's and Steve's kid – Sam's biologically – was a rascal, had enough energy to take over the entire country in just one day and that little head just too full of crazy ideas. Bucky was her godfather and he loved her to pieces just as much as the kid loved him. Sadie was adorable, also a smirky little mischief maker, Rhodey loved the stories Sam and now Bucky had to tell, you really needed a super soldier to keep this runner under control.

They sat for hours on the bench by the playground or on a blanket by the lake, talked or dozed in the sun while Sadie played with other kids or chased butterflies around the meadow. Or they threw a ball around with Sadie, and the domesticity of it all, it filled Rhodey's heart with so much warmth. It had been so long since Lila had been this age, where it was all new and big and great, where there were only smiles and laughs and happiness.

Next level was the evening 'hang-outs', going out to the movies, grabbing dinner before or afterwards, going out for shows and concerts. And it was while he was getting ready for one of those occasions that Rhodey found himself staring into the mirror at himself buttoning up a white dress shirt and asking himself when Bucky and him had started dating.

\--

There wasn't that one special moment where everything changed, where butterflys conjured up a tornado in your stomach, where fireworks let your insides dance. No great epiphany that changed how you saw the world and the person standing right next to you.

There was no such moment for Rhodey and Bucky.

They had two.

\--

Friday was to blame or to thank for the first time, meddling apparently became a hobby for her.

Rhodey didn't realize how he had pulled his clothes off while working on the car until he wanted to wipe his sweaty forehead with his sleeve and found his arms bare. Shirt discarded somewhere to the right, flung over the toolbox and he blinked down at his revealed skin, wondering completely confused just when that had happened. 

It had been a warm day and he had worn shorts down to the garage, but definitely a long sleeved shirt, and Bucky had...oh wow.

Apparently he hadn't been the only one working hard enough to work up a little sweat and inner warmth. Bucky wasn't wearing his green shirt anymore either, all that remained next to black workout shorts was a sleeveless black top. A tight sleeveless black top. The fabric clung to Bucky's upper body, revealed strong shoulders and toned arms, and Rhodey suddenly felt three degrees hotter still.

Bucky was focused on mechanism of the trunk, leaning forward slightly to get a better look, flashlight held between his teeth while both hands were busy trying to get the cables to agree to his plans. With his body, his shirt moved as well and Rhodey was still frozen to the ground, eyes set on that small sliver of tanned skin being revealed on Bucky's back, right above the waistband of his shorts.

He wondered how it would feel like to reach out, to touch, slip his hand under the tight black fabric and feel the warmth of Bucky's body against his palm. To stroke up his spine and let his hands draw out against his shoulderblades, to feel the muscles shift as Bucky straightened up again.

"Hey, Jim, can you give me the allen key?" Bucky's muffled voice ripped him from his fantasies and Rhodey cleared his throat and grabbed the allen key from the toolbox. Handing it over to Bucky, it was pure accident that his hand brushed against Bucky's right arm, something heavy shivering down his back when muscles shifted in a reflex reaction.

Bucky looked over his shoulder at him, eyes fired up with something dangerous and exciting that Rhodey could feel chasing through his own blood as well. The moment was broken when Bucky's flesh hand slipped and the lid of the trunk slammed down on metal fingers, Bucky cursed and growled, and Rhodey rushed to open the lid again.

Some minutes later they were back to quiet working and Rhodey felt like crawling right into the engine might be the only way to find out just why it wasn't cooperating, stupid thing just kept on pretending it was broken. It seemed to have only gotten hotter and he was really not sure anymore if it was the truth or if he was imagining it, Bucky was close, more or less right behind him, furiously wiping down the oil canister.

His body, super soldier advantage number whatever, was radiating heat like half a sun, and Rhodey wondered if goosebumbs could get stuck on ones skin. His heart was skipping in pleasure. And then he cursed when the fabric of his workout top got stuck on an edge of the open engine hood, it was tight, but apparently not tight enough.

Swallowing a curse, he held the screwdriver stable with one hand while taking the other one to grib and rip off the lower half of his shirt, had been stained for ages anyway, was about time he got rid of it. He flung the ripped off fabric over his shoulder and planned on going back to work, but then metal clunked to the stone ground of the garade and Rhodey whirled around in surprise. Instead of the empty oil canister, Bucky was now holding the torn fabric of Rhodey's shirt in his metal hand, half of it still clinging to his sweaty chest.

They starred at each other for a moment, but then blue eyes dropped down and Rhodey felt something white and hot melt down in his chest when Bucky quite blatantly checked him out. Gaping first, then biting his lips, tongue flickering out to lick them wet again. Rhodey was caught in this feeling, felt desired and wanted and his heart was making somersaults when Bucky looked up again and back into his eyes.

Things were definitely going to change soon.

\--

Rhodey wouldn't find out until weeks later that Friday had intentionally sealed the windows shut and turned the air conditioner from nice breeze to Sahara desert in full noon heater.

She got a code upgrade for her efforts.

\--

The second moment they needed to really figure things out, that was all them. No one else had been involved in those minutes and it couldn't have been more perfect.

They had met up for coffee in the coffeeshop in the closest town near the base, Rhodey had needed to escape those walls for just five minutes and Bucky had been on the drive back from the one organic animal food provider he trusted. Neil and Buzz were the most spoiled animals Rhodey had ever known and Maria Stark had owned a freaking mini dog, and even him and his satin blue pillows hadn't been spoiled rotten so much.

But they helped Bucky and the bunny liked him and the kitten had at least stopping hissing from dark corners when he came to visit Bucky in Queens. Progress.

They had enjoyed their coffees, shared a slice of pie and talked, almost gotten a routine by now, even if it didn't feel like one to Rhodey. It was still all exciting and new, and it was astonishing still to see how much they had in common, how much they shared, how happy it made them to just be in each other's presence.

Once they were finished and outside again, standing right by Bucky's car, they hugged goodbye as usual, only...something was different this time. With those moments in the garage last week still so hot on their minds, it was so easy to hold on. Rhodey could feel Bucky's chest against his own, could faintly feel the pounding of the other man's chest. 

It wasn't the hot curl of pleasure and desire turning his heart and brain to mush though, no, Rhodey nearly went weak in the knees by the sheer amount of adoration and happiness cursing through him. It felt so safe, with his head resting in the crook of Bucky's neck, with his arms around Bucky, with Bucky's arms around him, strong but not too tight. With Bucky's cheek resting against the side of his head, so warm, and so soft.

It was floating in heaven.

He could let go with him, he really could just be himself. 

And Rhodey never wanted to let go.

The arms around him tightened just a fraction and he must have whispered those words out loud, Rhodey sighed against Bucky's neck, leaned further against him and sank deeper into the moment.   
"Good." Bucky spoke quietly after a few seconds, "Because I really don't want to let go right now either."

And so they didn't.

It must have looked strange, two grown up clinging to another on the parking lot of a small town coffeeshop in the blaring heat of a summer sun. But they were soaring on cloud number nine, so incredibly happy and Rhodey could have hung the moon himself.

\--

Rhodey's first agenda once he was back on base half an hour later was a trip down to his best friend's workshop where Tony was frowning at a green glowing light on an Iron Man suit gauntlet. Rhodey ignored that, just like Dummy's imposing stand with the fire extinguisher right next to his creator, instead he flung himself onto the ratty old couch and grinned at the ceiling.

"I'm in love with Bucky."

And Tony snorted in response to his declaration, and then laughed, setting the gauntlet to the side and petting Dummy's claw, he went over to the mini-fridge in the corner and pulled out two beers.   
"About damn time, Rhodes." Tony grinned down at him and then wedged himself under Rhodey's feet, handing over one uncapped bottle, "Congratulations, honey-bear."

\--

And it culminated into a suddenly so easy conversation while they were out in Queens, having dinner at the Greek Place that Bucky loved so much. It was just around the corner of his house and Rhodey liked the quiet of the neighbourhood.

"You know." Bucky began hesitantly and frowned for a moment at his plate before looking up, searching Rhodey's eyes, "Sam called this date number fifteen." And Rhodey laughed, there was nothing awkward about it, how Bucky began to smile as well. Under the table, Rhodey hooked his foot around Bucky's ankle.  
"Yeah, Tony asked me when I'll be bringing you around to meet the family." He chuckled and Bucky rolled his eyes.

"I'm around on base more often than Sam these days. If Stark wants to give me a shovel talk, he can come and find me, I won't serve myself on a silver platter." Bucky pointed out and they both grinned at each other, aware that no one had even thought about not agreeing to the dating part of those statements. They went on with their dinner, kept on stealing glances at each other, and Rhodey felt something in his chest scream in pure joy. They didn't need to talk about it, sometimes things were clear without putting words around it.

He liked Bucky, he had fallen in love with Bucky. And Bucky had fallen for him as well.

Later when they were done, Bucky walked him to his car, and their hands were intertwined all on their own, no one had to take actions, it just happened. Like second nature now. They hugged when they were standing next to the driver's door, and Rhodey sighed when he felt Bucky's warmth wrapped around him again. It was centering, was grounding, was beautiful.

"Will you let me officially take you out on a date?" Bucky asked when they let go again, looking into each other's eyes. It was like stargazing.   
"I would love it." Rhodey answered and they both smiled, Rhodey felt fifteen again. So young and innocent and so in madly in love. Butterflies and skin tingling and daydreaming. Bucky raised a hand and stroked two fingers over his cheek before cupping his face.

"It'll be perfect." Bucky promised and Rhodey felt so giddy that he leaned in and pressed his lips to Bucky's cheek, pulse going haywire when Bucky's hand dropped to his waist. "I'll call you tomorrow?"  
"Looking forward to it." Rhodey told him and with one last lingering hug they parted ways, he got in his car and drove back to base, Bucky walked the short distance home.

\--

A couple of days later, things got exciting.

\--

"Hey, Rhodes?"

"I'm over here!" He called out loudly from under the Porsche 904 in the back of the garage hall, cursing when the screw slipped out of his fingers and rolled away, "God damn you, car, why don't you want to get running again? Why are you working so hard against me?"  
"Maybe it likes the attention." Sam drawled and stopped right next to him, even though Rhodey could only see his shoes. One of them had successfully stopped the traitorous screw's journey. "You got a second?"

"If Tony exchanged your goggles' glasses with pink ones again, it's not my fault and you should talk to him yourself." Rhodey pointed out but still set the screwdriver to the side and gave one last glare before rolling out from under the red car. He sat up on the board and rolled his shoulders to get the tightness out of his neck, maybe he should really take a break. "What do you got?"

Instead of saying anything, Sam revealed a red envelope, holding it out to him with a smirk that promised either the most beautiful day of Rhodey's life or absolutely nothing good.

"Wow." He began, grinning himself when he grabbed the envelope and saw his name written in breathtaking cursive, "Something you wanna tell me, Sammy?" Sam scowled at him, crossed his arms over his chest.  
"Yeah, totally. The Super Soldier Husband and the awesome kid are not fulfilling me." He deadpanned and Rhodey chuckled, accepting the offered hand to push himself to his feet. "I'm just doing a friend a favor."

"Are you now?" Rhodey asked and smiled down at the envelope, letting one finger gently trace the black lines of his name. He could almost see Bucky sitting in his favourite sun filled window alcove in his apartment, leaned back into the pillows at his back. Blue eyes focused on the path his fingers were taking with the pen.

"Have fun." Sam patted his back and pulled him from his thoughts, "Dress light." He quipped as a last comment before walking off again, probably grinning. Rhodey leaned back against the Porsche, and opened the envelope, curious now. Inside the envelope, he found a single sheet of black paper, and written on it with silver ink was a for him unknown address in upstate New York.

\--

And then there were flowers.

\--

It started in his rooms at the facility, a yellow carnation lying on his bed, a white one in the button hole of his favourite blue shirt when he opened the closet to get dressed two days after Sam had given him the envelope. The next one, orange this time, placed into the left shoe of his second favourite pair, a dark brown leather.

"Going somewhere?" Tony asked with a smirk that looked a little too pleased as he leaned back against the kitchen counter, cup of coffee in his hands. Rhodey rolled his eyes and stepped into the room, crossing over to the counter while checking over his shirt collar again. Over on the couch Peter snickered and then quickly ducked behind his books again when Rhodey glanced his way.

"What is this, high school?" Rhodey said out loud and stole the cup right out of Tony's hands, "Can't a man simply go on a date?" He couldn't stop grinning though, he felt light and so happy. Excited and giddy with anticipation, his head constantly running through possible scenarios, he was so curious over what Bucky had planned.

"Nice flowers." Tony commented and shoved at him to make himself a new cup of coffee, Rhodey smiled at him and then looked back at the by now four flowers in his left hand. A pink one had been added when Wanda had passed him in the corridor, wishing him a beautiful evening.   
"They are, aren't they? Such a beautiful idea." Rhodey mused and took a long sip of wonderful warm coffee, Tony snorted but then smiled at him as well.

Happy. Relaxed.

"Well, I don't regret getting involved then." Tony quipped and tugged out a pink rose from behind the box of cereals, "Have fun tonight, Rhodey. You deserve it." And then he revealed a set of keys in his hands, "Little fingers over there got the screw in, take the baby for a ride to meet up with Barnes."  
"You searched my stuff until you found the envelope and googled the address." Rhodey accused but still took flower and keys, buzzing with even more anticipation now.

Tony shrugged and tried to play it off as cool and disinterested for a minute, but Rhodey saw right through him, saw how happy Tony was to see him happy, but also how much he wanted to protect and look out for him.  
"Well, thank you." Tony hummed in response to his words and rearranged his shirt collar for the final touch before pushing him off with a pat to the back, probably biting his lips to keep all unappropriate comments inside for once just because the kid was there.

Rhodey smirked at him, challenged him with his eyes and Tony glared, so Rhodey laughed and made his way over to Peter, who was still trying to look busy with his books.  
"Thanks for the help with the car, kid." He said and ruffled through brunet hair, Peter squeaked and glared but Rhodey's smile must have been so infectious that the frustration melted right off of Peter's face again.

"Have fun tonight! AND USE PROTECTION!"

\--

The walk to his new car, and what a beauty she was, seemed way too long in his excitement, the thought of the almost two hour drive seemed like torture, he only wanted to be there now, to see Bucky and see what was waiting for him. 

He loved surprises, not many people knew that about him, always assumed different about the quiet military man, all plans and strategy they saw him as. But Rhodey loved surprises, loved the excitement and the anticipation of waiting, loved the thrill and the rush of happiness when it really came out of nowhere.

Noted of course that it was a happy surprise, a welcome one. On the job, Rhodey didn't like surprises at all, despised them even. In private, there was nothing more beautiful, and when he stopped next to his car and found it filled from bottom to open top with heart balloons, he laughed and clutched at his chest, tried to keep his heart from bursting right out of his chest from so much joy.

"Oh my god." He gasped out and despite his better judgement opened the driver's door, red balloons spilling out over his feet. And before he could have really taken in that picture, there was a shrill whistle that echoed around the garage and after a small pop it rained balloons, red and white falling down from the ceiling.

Rhodey laughed and turned in circles, closed his eyes and couldn't believe the happiness pouring through his heart. He felt as if he could fly without a suit, without wings, just take right off from the ground.

"You're all insane!" He yelled out into the great hall and Sam's laughter rang out from the walkway, down from the ceiling Redwing swooshed towards him, blue cornflower taped to his beak. "Thank you." Rhodey told him and carefully took the flower off of him, adding it to the ones he still carried in his left hand. 

"Have fun tonight!" Sam shouted down from where he was now no longer hiding on the walkway and Redwing dashed over to him again. Rhodey rolled his eyes and then pushed his way over to the now open door of his car, laughing and shaking his head while he tried to push the most of the balloons out of the way.

\--

Rhodey smiled and tugged another red carnation from a tree at the small path, he had parked his car on the empty parking lot, right where the orange flower had lain on the concrete, left his phone behind and then started on the short hiking path up to the beach. He knew now where he was, had never actually been to this secluded little corner in upstate New York before, but he had told Bucky that he had thought so many times to stop when he had driven past, but that he had just never had the time.

Seems like Bucky was fulfilling more than one just dream tonight.

He was already carrying a beautiful bunch of carnations and he gave himself the time to stop every now and then to bring them close to his face and smell their beauty. To look at them and feel the warmth that blossomed in his chest.

He picked a purple one from a low hanging bush by the time the ocean could already be heard, soft waves falling against the shore, the sun had nearly set low enough to call it a real sunset soon. Rhodey smiled and turned around the last curve of the path, stopping short when his shoes touched the sand and he caught sight of the scene.

There seemed to be candles everywhere, lit and swaying softly in the barely there breeze, casting a beautiful light over this little beach corner. Then there was a table, white table cloth, two chairs, more candles on top of the table, a basket and a coolerbag standing off to the side.

And then there was Bucky.

Wearing a white button up and beige cotton pants, he stood barefoot in the middle of the distance to the table, holding another red carnation and a bright smile. 

"Hey." Rhodey said quietly and stepped closer, smiling himself now, "This is...Bucky." He stopped in front of him and looked around again, "I don't even know what to say."  
"You don't have to say anything." Bucky told him and held out the flower, Rhodey took it, carefully arranging it among the others, before looking at the other man again.

"Thank you for these, they're really beautiful."

\--

They had a picnic, out on the beach, just the two of them hundreds of twinkling lights, just the ocean and the sun as their witness. The cake was delicious, the wine was amazing, the view was breathtaking and it was the most romantic thing someone had ever done for Rhodey.

It was just perfect.

"It's not too much, right?" Bucky asked after a few bites, nervously nibbling on his bottom lip, but Rhodey hooked a leg around his under the table and shook his head, "Good, because I really needed it to be perfect for you, Jim. You deserve the world, and unfortunately I can't give you that without getting into trouble, so I chose this."  
"It's beautiful, Buck, really beautiful." Rhodey told him and smiled, "Last time I spent time at the beach without it being an Avengers call out was so long ago, Lila was still in elementary school." Rhodey explained and Bucky smiled.

"Well, then I am super happy I chose beach over mountain top." Bucky laughed and Rhodey joined in, "Was a really tough decision, I drove Sharon crazy...But...I'm really happy we're here tonight."  
"Yeah, me, too." Rhodey agreed and their hands found each other on top of the table again, fingers intertwining, "First of many to come?"  
"Definitely." Bucky grinned and raised Rhodey's hand to kiss his knuckles, one by one, "Gotta have to use all those two dozen other ideas at some point. I love to see you happy."

"I am really happy with you." Rhodey whispered and Bucky smiled as bright as the sun, "You make me very happy." And with the sun starting to settle down for the day, they smiled at each other and ate cake and laughed about the many times they had gone out without realizing it. And about just how they realized that they were falling for each other.

"So, what's happening when we're done?" Rhodey asked and Bucky looked down at his plate with a smile on his lips for a moment before raising his head again, blue eyes shone with mischief.  
"That's a surprise, too." He answered the question and reached across the table to intertwine their hands, "But it'll be good, I promise, just have to believe in me."

And Rhodey did.

\--

After they were full with cake, they had watched the sunset, with Bucky taking Rhodey into his arms from behind, standing together in the shallow water a little away from shore. It was probably by far the most beautiful dreamy sunset Rhodey had ever seen, vacations in the Carribbean counted in.

Once it was dark then, and sky filled with its twinkling lights, Bucky pulled out a blanket, laid it out on the ground in the middle of the candles whose light had dimmed a little by now. They laid down on it, side by side, and then there was silence, pleasant comfortable silence as they watched the stars.

Rhodey kept his eyes focused on the sky, breathed in the smell of ocean and coconut, he only smiled when Bucky shifted next to him, blue eyes coming to watch him. Rhodey could feel it on his skin.  
"Your eyes have stars in them." Bucky said after a short moment, his voice so full of awe and wonder, and a careful finger gently traced over Rhodey's cheek. Rhodey turned into the touch, his chest filling with a buzzing when Bucky exchanged one finger with the palm of his hand, cupping Rhodey's face.

His blue eyes were so dark in the candlelight and Rhodey gave in to getting lost in them. In them and the wonder Bucky showed when watching him, it still rooted him to the spot, let him want to reach out and to freeze time like this forever. 

"You look so beautiful." He whispered and curled his hand around Bucky's jaw, thumb stroking over his cheek. Bucky opened his mouth, and then closed it again, ducking his gaze away from Rhodey's face. "Hey, talk to me." Rhodey encouraged and Bucky raised his eyes again. Rhodey felt his heart double in size at least as he got showered by the love in those baby blues  
"I...I...can you kiss me, Rhodey?" Bucky asked after finally finding his voice again and Rhodey felt his heart grow for him even more.

Instead of replying with words, he slid his hand to the back of Bucky's head and pulled him in until his lips brushed against Bucky's. And then they were kissing, and it was everything the romances always talked about. Fireworks exploding behind closed eyes, toes curling beauty, veins filling with so much warmth and peacefulness from head to toe.

It was beautiful, it was exciting. It was perfect. 

Bucky whimpered a needy little sound and Rhodey smiled into their kiss, putting his free hand to Bucky's shoulder, he pushed him back and himself up. Rolling them so that he was hovering over Bucky, keeping his head from hitting the ground too hard, never breaking the kiss, quite on the contrary, deepening it a little more. His own heart was fluttering in his chest, skipping in joy, and when he stroked a hand down from Bucky's left shoulder to his chest, he could feel how strong the super soldier's heart was racing as well.

Lips moving gently against each other, Bucky's hand slowly moving from Rhodey's cheek to his shoulder, down his arm to intertwine their fingers right over his heart. When they broke apart for air, Rhodey propped himself up on his elbows left and right of Bucky's head, drew the metal arm over Bucky's head to keep their hands together.

"You're lips are so soft." Bucky whispered, reaching up with one finger to softly trace Rhodey's lips, he sounded drunk, and Rhodey grinned, knowing that he had personally been responsible for that effect. 

\--

Much later, closing in on midnight already, but they were both still so much awake, alive and happy, love could give you so much energy, they walked back to the car. Bucky had assured Rhodey that Steve would pick up the candles and picnic tomorrow morning, all part of the plan, so Rhodey had no hesitation in turning his back on the beach and walking Bucky to his car. He was already wondering just what the reaction would be.

"Oh. My. God."

Nailed it, he thought as Bucky froze right off the beach path and stared at the red car with round eyes, Rhodey tugged him along, right up next to Roxy.

"So, this is what you kept under that bloody blanket in the garade all the time." Bucky exclaimed and carefully ran a finger over the red paint, "Wow. This is...incredible."  
"It's the car from the Expo." Rhodey gave himself some gloating, he had worked so hard on it after finding it in some junkyard, Tony hadn't wanted it, but had still always been looking for it, stupid double standards had come in handy for once.

Bucky whirled around to face him and now he was gaping, Rhodey smirked, he knew the stories, knew that it had been just amazingly perfect that Peter had managed to get the damn screw in just in time to take the car out today.

"Please tell me she can fly!" It broke out of Bucky after a short moment and Rhodey laughed, managing to nod, but before he could have gotten a word out, Bucky had him pressed up against the hood of the car and their lips sealed together.

\--

"Hey...do...do you wanna come up?" Bucky surprised him a little when he stopped the car outside his apartment building, hands fiddling with his sleeves as he glanced up at Rhodey from the passenger seat. Shy again, careful.  
"You want me to come up?" Rhodey turned the question back on Bucky, and then smiled when Bucky reached over and intertwined their hands again.

"Yeah, I...I'd really love that." Bucky said and they both leaned in, meeting halfway for another kiss, at which end Rhodey leaned his forehead against Bucky's, looked at the smile on Bucky's relaxed face. Blue eyes were still closed, and Rhodey smiled at the wonder he could see nevertheless.  
"Then I'll come up." He replied and kissed Bucky again, gentle and soft, reached up with his free hand to cradle the back of Bucky's head.

Bucky made them some tea and Rhodey got comfortable on the couch in the meantime, curiously letting his eyes look over the course books on the couch table. In the corner, the telescope was still turned towards the window and the book next to it thrown open in the middle, Sam's and Steve's birthday present had been well received. Neil had only shortly raised his eyes their way when they had stepped into the apartment but had then directly gone back to sleeping in the armchair, stretched out as far as his tiny limbs could go.

Rhodey took it as approval of his presence past daylight hours from the cat and leaned back on the couch, watched how Bucky hummed in the kitchen and danced from one corner to the next. His insides, his very being was still buzzing, big next step and it felt like both of them couldn't be happier.

So happy.

"Here." Bucky said and held out a red cup of steaming tea to him before sitting down himself, right next to him, no more awkward two inch gap. Thighs touching, Rhodey took a first careful sip of his tea and then placed the cup down on the couch table to cool down some more, letting his right hand slide softly over Bucky's thigh. Bucky relaxed further against him, blowing on his tea for a few more breaths before setting his cup down as well.

"This feels good." Rhodey said after a moment and Bucky hummed in reply, and then shifted around on the couch with a smile.   
"Come here?" Bucky asked and leaned against the sidearm of the couch, pulling his legs up and bending them at the knees, opening them. Rhodey grinned around the happy fluttering of his heart and crawled into Bucky's arms, placed his head against his chest and sighed in so much joy.

"Do you wanna watch a movie, maybe?" Bucky proposed and Rhodey looked up at him, "I think I don't want you to go home tonight."  
"Star Wars?" Rhodey offered as a choice and then pushed himself up a little so that he could kiss Bucky before the other one reached for the TV remote, "And I kinda don't wanna go home tonight as well."

\--

It was easy then to move on from 'not-but-in-fact-they-were-dating to really being together, to be in love and able to act on it, to let themselves be in love. They learned each other in a whole new way, and enjoyed every second of it. 

Even the worst Avengers missions and battles were suddenly less gruesome when Rhodey knew there was someone waiting for him with strong arms, a warm bath and gentle hands, someone who didn't ask about how the job went, who just wanted to take care of him. See him happy, whether it was a success or a nightmare. 

They did everything they had previously done when their heads had still let them believe they were only friends, it was like they wanted to revisit all those places and moments, see them with different eyes. Their try to at least protect their perfect happy bubble for a few weeks got quickly poked into nothingness, Bucky told Steve who couldn't keep it from Sam and Sharon, Rhodey told Tony who got guilttripped by Peter and Lila until they knew it, too and suddenly everyone knew and Rhodey still didn't care.

He was so incredibly happy. 

Bucky met his niece who made him squirm for half an hour until she started calling him uncle Barnes and had Bucky gaping at her for the rest of his visit, caught offguard enough that not even Tony finally firing out his usual comments threw him for a loop, Bucky just grinned and snarked back. And Rhodey found himself sitting on the couch in the common room, one arm around Bucky, smiling into the room, smiling at this patchwork piece of family, and being so satisfied.

His mother invited them over for a weekend trip to Philadelphia, Bucky panicked, it was so cute. And then Rhodey's sister informed him that she was going to be there and Bucky really freaked out while Rhodey knew that everything was going to be okay. Bucky brought the most beautiful flowers his garden could have come up with and homemade jam, Rhodey's mother nearly swooned and he couldn't stop grinning like a fool.

Little Sadie could have cared less about this new development when Bucky and him took her on a trip to the beach, just shrugged those little shoulders and demanded a piggyback ride into the water. Later though, Sadie grinned, smirked to be honest, really it was that damn Sam Wilson smirk in that tiny beautiful round face and Rhodey should have known he was never going to be able to say no. And Sadie called him 'Uncle Jimmy' and plopped down on his stomach and commanded him to built a sandcastle throne. All with please, and big eyes and that damn uncle Jimmy. Firecracker, total firecracker. 

And kissing, oh the kissing and the making out and how could he have ever wanted to be just friends with Bucky. It was so beautiful, so amazing to feel this wanted, to be worshipped by this freaking super soldier stamina, to let himself fall into strong arms or pin those strong arms down against the mattress, see that man who could overpower him choosing to let himself fall for him. 

And Rhodey didn't stop being a superhero, being an Avenger, for a second during any of it, quite on the contrary, it was like love had given him an extra kick. He was happy, the team was happy and content, and the world got saved and protected. Bucky's and his lives fit together like puzzle pieces, wrapped around each other without trouble like they did in the nights.

\--

They had big moments and small ones.

They celebrated Bucky's good terms, they celebrated good successful missions or victories. They kissed and cuddled away the bad ones. Bucky fussed over him when Rhodey got hurt during outings and massaged the headaches away when meetings with DC or the UN were too frustrating again, or when Lila and Peter got up to bullshit once more.

Sometimes though it were the little moments in life that caught you off guard.

In a good way.

That let you grow together and love each other and your life even more.

\--

On a more than just welcome break from arguing with politicians over even the smallest additions to the Accords, Rhodey found himself in Central Park. Cursing and muttering over the delegations he had spoken with, these people could be so pigheaded and more than half of them were just focused on their own advantages. Greater Good be damned. Humanity be damned.

Maybe they needed to face the next alien invasion with their speeches, bore those things to death instead of shooting them in the face. Let’s see how that will work out.

Anyway, he had met up with Bucky, gotten some coffee to go and then proposed to just walk along the park paths. It was a beautiful day and Rhodey intended to make the best of this short break that he had. With one hand holding the delicious coffee and his other intertwined tight with Bucky’s, he looked around the green oasis in the middle of this big frightening city.

He could still remember when he had come to New York City for the first time, so so many years ago. He had still been at MIT, it had been Christmas time and Maria Stark had invited Tony and him to come with her to a Christmas Broadway show and some dinner afterwards. It hadn’t exactly been their thing, but Tony had never really been able to say no to his mother and had also decided weeks earlier to accept the invitation of Misses Rhodes to spent Christmas with them instead of being alone in a big house while his parents were in Europe, so spending a weekend with his mother lessened the guilt.

There had of course not been something like Stark Tower then, Tony had despised New York and everything it stood for, but the Starks had a mansion right outside the city and Maria had a gigantic apartment on the Upper East Side. Rhodey hadn’t stopped staring the second they had reached the outskirts after Tony’s driver had picked them up at their dorm.

It had been so beautiful, all those lights and the snow twinkling with the reflection of billboards and Christmas cheer. Tall buildings, right up into the sky, sheer endless. And the crowds, they had interested him, all those people and their stories, all those lives. It had never felt like home, not like Philadelphia had and would always be, not like Air Force bases had, not like Tony’s mansion in Miami had, not like the base upstate was slowly beginning to feel like.

No, New York City had never been home for him, Stark Tower addition or not, the city had always meant adventure, distraction and trouble. Rhodey loved New York, but he loved home more, and still it remained special.

Special because now with Bucky at his side, it felt like he was discovering every inch of the city anew. Bucky was home in New York, New York was home for him. He knew the city in a way that barely anyone did anymore in today's time, he had stories to tell and Rhodey loved listening to them, loved the images of an age long gone in his mind while they walked around Manhattan, Queens, Hell's Kitchen, Harlem or Brooklyn.

He loved the history, he loved the age it showed New York to have.

Their hands had found each other as soon as they were walking away from the coffee stand, holding tight but in a pleasant way, showing each other that they were there. The park was mostly filled with business men taking a lunch stroll or talking on their phones, and families with small children around the playground and the lake.

"Steve kinda ordered me to invite you for a barbecue next weekend, if you're free. Apparently you're due to meet my side of family now. Sharon will be there, too." Bucky got out with a chuckle and Rhodey laughed, already imagining the level of awkwardness only someone like Rogers could project, but it was gonna be okay.  
"Yeah, I would love to come." Rhodey told him and squeezed his hand, he could feel that Bucky was a little tense, "Relax, okay, it's gonna be fine."

"I know, I..."

"Excuse me?" And tiny little voice interrupted Bucky and they both looked to the left where a little boy was scurrying over from the playground, holding a black phone in his hand. On his red shirt, there was a War Machine in full display and Bucky grinned at Rhodey as he saw. Panting the little boy came to a stop right in front of them, looking up with bright brown eyes, for a moment he caught his breath, but then he couldn't be stopped anymore.

Brown eyes zeroed in on Rhodey and he clutched that black phone so tight his knuckles turned white, he was vibrating with obvious nerves and Bucky was quite obviously biting back a grin.  
"You're my favourite superhero!" It blurted from small lungs in the next second, "Like best superhero ever and I love how you fly and how you shoot the bad guys and not the good guys. And my sister thinks superheroes suck but I also know that she totally has an action figure of Agent 13 in her bedroom. But I only have you, and War Machine is the super best." And then he snapped his mouth shut and you could almost hear his heart pounding against his rips, completely tongue-tied.

"Wow, that's really cool." Rhodey said and crouched down, "That is super nice of you to say. You want a picture?" He offered, pointing to the phone the boy held onto like a lifeline, too nervous to say another word, he just nodded three times.  
"I can make that for you." Bucky spoke up, crouching down as well and holding out his flesh hand for the phone, the boy glanced over to him but only briefly before he was staring right at Rhodey again, so amazed.

Bucky chuckled, "Do you want me to tell you a secret?" He asked, still patiently waiting for the phone, the boy glanced back over at him again, "He's my favourite superhero, too." And Rhodey caught his eyes, felt his throat get tight for a moment, caught off guard by the love and admiration he could see in blue eyes.

This man loves you, his brain provided him, heart screaming in too much joy to get any word out, this man really loves you.

The boy handed over his phone and Rhodey snatched him up before the nerves could have really taken a hold of the little kid, placing him on his knee. Bucky snatched a picture and after much thanking the boy scrambled off like a firecracker, back over to a young woman sitting on a bench, having watched the whole exchange with a smile. For a moment they watched how the little boy scrambled up next to her and showed her his phone, talking so quickly she would barely be able to understand a word, but then they got back to their feet and Rhodey grasped Bucky's hands.

He drew him in for a kiss and then looked at him.

"I love you." He said, those three little words out loud for the very first time, because he knew it was right, Bucky grinned, all loopsided and happy just like Rhodey.  
"I love you, too." Bucky replied and kissed him again, and there certainly was no thought over frustrated discussions with politicians in Rhodey's head anymore when they moved on, further down the path in Central Park.

\--

And small dreams got fulfilled too.

\--

"This is nice." Rhodey sighed happily and felt shivers run down his back when Bucky kissed his neck, arms tightening around him. "This is really nice." At his back, Bucky chuckled, so warm even in the hot water of the bath tub.   
"You're right." Bucky agreed, nuzzling against his ear, lips so soft and gentle against the side of Rhodey's neck, "This feels good."

The perfect ending to a beautiful day. No Avengers, no bad guys. No work.

Just the two of them, out together in the beauty that was Upstate New York, hiking through the forest and the caves. A picnic on a sun filled meadow, just beautiful and romantic. There had been wine and candles, and cake, and kisses under a blue sky.

They had driven up and down in Roxy, the top off, wind in their faces and their hair, laughing when Bucky's hairband got lost somewhere on the highway. Holding hands over the gear stick. So incredibly happy.

"Feels perfect." Rhodey sighed, curling even further against Bucky's body behind and under him, it was what he had always wanted. The ending to a perfect day with someone in the bathtub, sharing a bath and warmth, pricavy at its most beautiful form.  
"Wouldn't say that yet." Bucky chuckled and Rhodey felt the vibrations against his neck send shivers all down his spine and legs, his mouth falling open when one of Bucky's hands slowly wandered down his chest.

"I love you." He spoke out loud and leaned his head back, Bucky kissed him and then nudged his nose with his own, both hands stroking now.  
"I love you, too, Jim." Bucky answered and Rhodey smiled, let himself melt away to his boyfriend's gentle touch and the warmth of the water, the silence around them.

\--

Not every story has a happy end, but Rhodey's did.

From a small boy who dreamt of flying to the leader of the Avengers.

James Rhodes was happy with his job, with his life. He was proud of who he had become and utterly in love with the man at his side.

It truly was a happy ending.

\--

Arms wrap around his waist and he leans back against a still strong chest, sighs in delight when the sun breaks out from behind the clouds and warms his face.  
"You're a dork." He chuckles and holds up the little piece of paper with Bucky's scribbling, his love snorts and buries his face in the back of his neck.  
"It's true though." Bucky whispers into Rhodey's graying hair and kisses his neck, "It's all true. I love you to Mars and back."

"I love you, too, Buck." Rhodey answers him and squeezes the arms holding onto him, and they have nowhere to go, no places to rush to anymore. They have time now, they had always had time for each other, but now they can lean back for good. And Rhodey is so happy and still so much in love.

\--

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like this story and that it was in any way what you had wished for.  
> I had so much planned, but unfortunately work and life kicked my ass these last weeks and I didn't have as much time for writing as I had wanted.   
> I am terribly sorry for that, and I do plan on using those scene ideas for a future oneshot collection that acconpanies this story, but I need more time to write for that.


End file.
